Clamping ring for containers



July 23, 1940. H. A. scoTT CLAMPING RING FOR CONTAINERS Filed June 15, 1939 INVENTOR Har/y ,4. Saab. BY M-W ATTOR N EY-S Patented July 23, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CLAMPING RING FOR CONTAINERS Harry A.

Scott, Van Wert, Ohio, asslgnor to Hans A. Eggerss, Van Wert, Ohio Application June'15, 1939, Serial No. 279,330

4 Claims. (Cl. 24-19) My invention relates to containers. It has to do, more particularly, with a retaining or clamping ring adapted to be applied to the end of a cylindrical container in order to retain a removable,

head or closure in position at the end of the container.

This invention is particularly applicable to containers of the general type disclosed in the co-pending application of Hans A. Eggerss, Serial No. 158,768, filed August 12, 1937, although it is not necessarily limited thereto. The container disclosed in said co-pending application embodies a. cylindrical body portion having a metal head for closing the end thereof, a retaining and clamping ring being provided for retaining the head in position. This invention specifically relates to the retaining and clamping ring. Although the retaining and clamping ring disclosed in said application has a number of desirable features, the retaining ring constituting this invention has a number of additional advantages.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a retaining and clamping ring of the type indicated which is of such a naturethat it may be readily applied to the container and will securely hold the head in position and may be readily removed in order to permit removal of the head.

Another object of my invention is to provide a retaining and clamping ring of the type indicated which is of such a 'nature that it may be dicated which is split to facilitate application to the container and removal therefrom, novel means being provided in association with the ends of the ring for contracting it around the container and for looking it in contracted condition.

Another object of my invention is to provide a split retaining and clamping ring of the type indicated which is of such a nature that a separate tool is not required for applying it to and contracting it around the container and which does not have any loose locking parts for locking the ends of the ring together.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a retaining ring having my locking means associated therewith mounted on a container.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the locking means.

Figure 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of the structure of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the locking means before the band is completely contracted.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a lo slight modification of my device.

Figure 6 is a sectional view illustrating how a portion of my locking device may be formed.

Figure 7- is a longitudinal section illustrating a modification of my device. 1

As previously indicated, my retaining and clamping ring is particularly applicable to acontainer and head structure of the type illustrated in the co-pending application of Hans A. Eggerss, Serial No. 158,768. As illustrated in Figure 1, the container structure comprises a'body portion l which is preferably of cylindrical form. This body portion is preferably made of fiber board although it may be made of other material. A head 2 is applied to the end of the container. This headmay be of a structure disclosed in said co-pending application and is madeof metal although it may be made of other material.

The retaining ring l0 which I provide for retaining the head 2 in position on the body portion l is a split retaining and clamping ring. It is adapted to be contracted around the upper end of the container and is provided with a portion adapted to cooperate with the head and aportion adapted to cooperate with the body portion of the container so that the head will be held securely in position. It is also provided with novel means for contracting it around the container and for locking it in contracted condition.

As illustrated in the drawings, the retaining ring has an inwardly projecting portion II on its lower edge which is adapted to extend into an external groove formed by bending the body portion of the container in the manner described in said co-pending application. The upper edge of the retaining ring has a portion I 4 formed thereon which is adapted to embrace a corresponding portion of the head 2. Between these upper and lower portions l4 and H is an outwardly curved or convex rib portion l6. This portion I6 co- 50 operates with a bead formed on the head {in order to retain it in position. When the split retaining ring I0 is positioned on the container and is contracted. the head will be held securely in position on the container.

In order to contract the ring around the container and to hold it in contracted condition, I preferably provide the structure illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. This structure is associated with the ends of the split ring which are adapted to be brought into abutting relationship with each other.

This structure comprises a lug ll secured to one end of the ring and a lug l8 secured to the other end of the ring and which are adapted to abut each other when the ends of the ring are disposed adjacent each other. These lugs I1 and I8 are disposed beneath the outwardly projecting rib l6 and in the groove formed in the portion H. They may bewelded or secured in any other suitable manner to the ring. In this position they are protected from blows delivered to the end of the container.

The lug I1 is provided with an opening l9 extending longitudinally therethrough while the lug I8 is provided with an aligning threaded opening 20 extending longitudinally therethrough. A screw 2| extends through these aligning openings. This screw is provided with a slotted head 22 adapted to bear against the outer surface of the lug l1. It is provided with a portion 23, extending for a distance corresponding to the length of the lug H, which is free to move longitudinally or rotate relative to the opening l9. Its opposite end is provided with a threaded portion 24 which may be screwed into the threaded opening 28 in the lug l8. Between the threaded portion 24 and the smooth portion 23 the screw is reduced as indicated at 25 so that shoulders 26 and 21 are formed.

I provide means on the lug I! for preventing the screw from being removed from the lug I1. As indicated in Figures 1 and 2, this means comprises an annular flange or knife-edge 28 which is disposed around the inner end of the opening l9 and is formed integral with the lug IT. This flange 28 projects inwardly from the inner surface of the lug l1 and extends at an angle towards the axis of the screw 2|. It extends into the annular recess 25 formed in the screw. This portion 28 will cooperate with the shoulder 21 to prevent withdrawal of the screw from the lug l1. However, limited longitudinal movement of the screw in the lug 11 will be permitted since the member 28 will be spaced a substantial distance from the shoulder 21 when the screw head 22 contacts with the outer surface of the lug I'I. Also, free rotation of the screw in the lug I! will be permitted.

The member 28 also serves an additional function. It will be noted from Figures 3 and 4 that it projects outwardly from the inner surface of lug l'l forming a projecting portion with a frustoconical socket or seat 38 formed in the inner surface of lug l8 surrounding theinner end of opening 28. Thus, the interfitting portions 28 and 30 will serve to align the two lugs I1 and I8 and the openings therein with each other and to align the ends of the ring with each other. Also, these interfitting portions will take the shearing stress from the screw 2 I.

In Figure 6 I illustrate how the screw 2| can be positioned in the lug l1. When the portion 28 is initially formed it merely projects from the surface of the lug l1 and does not project inwardly towards the axis of the screw. Therefore, the screw can be inserted in the lug in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. After the screw is so positioned, a die may be forced into contact with the portion 28 forcingit inwardly inthe manner illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 6 to obtain the structure illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

In using this structure, the split ring in expanded condition is first applied to the container. At this time the threaded portion 24 of the screw will not be in the lug l8. After the ring is positioned on the container, the ends thereof are brought adjacent each other and the end of the screw is threaded into the opening 28. If the screw is then tightened, the ends of the ring will be brought towards each other and the ring will be contracted around the container. When the ring is completely contracted, the portions 28 a3? 38 on the lugs l1 and I8 will interflt with each 0 er.

It will be apparent that with this structure there is no danger of the screw 2| coming out of lugs l1 and being lost. Also it will be apparent that the interfitting portions of the two lugs serve to align the lugs and the ends of the ring and also serve to take the shearing stress off the screw. The screw will thus only be in tension when the ring is contracted.

The end of the screw may be provided with a transverse opening 3| through which a wire seal 32 may be passed to prevent unauthorized persons from surreptitiously withdraw the screw from the lug I8 and gaining access to the container. Also, as indicated in Figure 5, the lugs 11 and 3 may be provided with depending ears 33 with aligning openings through which the wire seal 34 may be passed.

In Figure 7 I illustrate a structure exactly like that previously described with the exception that v the lugs are not provided with the interfitting portions 28 and 30. In this instance the inwardly projecting flange 28a is flush with the inner surface of the lug II. This portion 28a.

will be of slightly different shape than the portion 28 before it is forced inwardly by the die so that its outer surface will be flush with the inner surface of lug II.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided a retaining and clamping ring structure which is of such a nature that it may be easily and quickly applied to a container and removed therefrom. It may be used over and over again. It is of such a nature that a separate tool is not necessary for applying it to the container. No loose locking parts are provided so there is no danger of losing any of the par s.

Various other advantages will be apparent from the preceding description, the drawing and the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A split ring adapted to be applied to a container or a similar article, said ring being adapted to have its ends in abutting relationship, means for securing the ends of said ring together, said means comprising a lug secured to one end of said ring and a similar lug secured to the other end of said ring, said lugs being adapted to abut each other, one of said lugs being provided with an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, a screw disposed in said opening and extending therethrough, said screw having a portion without threads which extends through said opening so that it is free to rotate in said opening, means for maintaining the screw in the opening, said means comprising a head on the screw which abuts the outer surface of the lug and a portion formed on the inner surface of said lug around the opening which projects from said surface and which projects inwardly towards the axis of the screw, said screw having an annular depression with which said portion cooperates to prevent removal of the screw from the opening, said screw having a projecting threaded'portion adapted to be threaded into a threaded opening extending longitudinally through the other lug, said last-named lug being provided with a socket surrounding the inner end of the opening formed therein for receiving the projecting portion of the first-named lug.

2. A split ring adapted to be applied to a container or a similar article, said ring being adapted to have its ends in abutting relationship, means for securing the ends of said ring together, said means comprising a lug secured to one end of said ring and a similar lug secured to the other end of said ring, said lugs being adapted to abut each other, one of said lugs being provided with an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, a screw disposed in said opening and extending therethrough, said screw having a portion without threads which extends through said opening so that it is free to rotate in said opening, mean" for maintaining the screw in the opening, said means comprising a head on the screw which abuts the outer surface of the lug and a portion formed on said lug adjacent said opening which projects inwardly towards the axis of the screw, said screw having an annular depression with which said portion cooperates to prevent removal of the screw from the opening, said screw having a projecting threaded portion adapted to be threaded into a threaded opening extending longitudinally through the other lug.

3. A split ring adapted to be applied to a container or similar article, said ring being adapted to have its ends secured together, means for securing the ends together, said means comprising a lug secured to one end of said ring and a similar lug secured-to the other end of said ring, said lugs being adapted to abut each other, one of said lugs being provided with an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, a screw disposed in said opening and extending therethrough, said screw having a portion which extends through said opening which is free to rotate in said opening, means for maintaining the screw in the opening, said means comprising a head on the screw which abuts the outer surface of the lug and a portion formed on the inner surface of said lug around the opening which projects from said surface and which projects inwardly towards the axis of the screw, said screw having a shoulder with which said portion cooperates to prevent removal of the screw from the opening, said screw having a projecting threaded portion adapted to be threaded into a threaded opening extending longitudinally through the other lug, said last-named lug being provided with a socket surrounding the inner end of the opening formed therein for receiving the projecting portion of the first-named lug.

4. A split ring adapted to be applied to a container or similar article, said ring being adapted to have its ends secured together, means for securing the ends together, said means comprising a lug secured to one end of said ring and a similar lug secured to the other end of said ring, said lugs being adapted to abut each other, one of said lugs being provided with an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, a screw disposed in said opening and extending therethrough, said screw having a portion which extends through said opening which is free to rotate in said opening, means for maintaining the screw in the opening, said means comprising a head on the screw which abuts the outer surface of the lug and a portion formed on said lug adjacent said opening which projects inwardly towards the axis of the screw, said screw having a shoulder with which said portion cooperates to prevent removal of the screw from the opening, said screw having a projecting threaded portion adapted to be threaded into a threaded opening extending longitudinally through the other lug.

HARRY A. SCOTT. 

